Cole Remarks at Rules Committee on H.R. 9770 the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027

Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member McGovern, members of the Rules Committee, I appreciate the opportunity to testify today. I come before you today on H.R. 9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027. Over the past year, the House Appropriations Committee has worked diligently to advance our Article I duties. Last month, we completed our markup process for Fiscal Year 2027, reporting all twelve bills out of the full committee by June 24. This is the earliest date this feat has been accomplished since Fiscal Year 2020. 

As of today, the full House of Representatives has also passed three of these bills across the floor, including the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill, and the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs bill. I am deeply proud of the work the Committee has done thus far, and am appreciative of the support we have received from the rest of our colleagues in this chamber.

Unfortunately, current circumstances in the Senate make clear that Congress, as a whole, is unlikely to complete the full appropriations process by the start of the fiscal year. 

The fact remains that our friends and colleagues across the Rotunda have yet to report any appropriations bills out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Despite good-faith efforts and reasonable negotiations, political gamesmanship from the left has kept their process at a standstill. While I have not given up hope that we can enact at least some appropriations bills before the start of the fiscal year, I am also realistic, and I acknowledge the reality on the ground – Congress will need to enact a continuing resolution of some sort prior to September 30 to avoid a government shutdown at the start of Fiscal Year 2027.

Every member in this room is only too aware of what transpired over the last year. The threat of a shutdown is not only real, it happened twice over the last twelve months. First, Senator Schumer and Senate Democrats plunged the nation into the longest government shutdown in history last October. Not to be outdone, they then later pushed the Department of Homeland Security into the longest partial government shutdown in American history. 

Both of these shutdowns were unnecessary, reckless, and irresponsible. It would be equally reckless and irresponsible to repeat the same mistake at the end of this fiscal year. Stability is necessary – which is why the House is moving early and taking the step of putting today’s bill forward. 

H.R. 9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027, will put in place a continuing resolution keeping the government open and operating through December 4, 2026. This will not only allow Congress time to continue our work on full-year appropriations bills through regular order, but it will also ensure the government remains open through the November election and into early December.

Some may ask why it is necessary that we take this bill up in July. I would simply state that it is never too early to do the right thing. The right thing for this body and for the American people is to make sure that the government remains funded and remains open. Passing this bill now ensures that we, the House, have taken this important step prior to the August district work period. There will be no question about where the House stands – we stand squarely with our constituents, who overwhelmingly want to keep the government open and providing services to them.

Importantly, today’s bill also does not contain a single poison pill rider. It is a clean CR, fully funding our government. This includes our military and defense needs, support for our veterans, and critical services for our constituents like roads, parks, child care, water projects, infrastructure improvements, scientific research, job training, and countless others. I look forward to continuing the FY 2027 appropriations process in the coming months. I thank each of you for your time, and look forward to your questions today.